Armrest Device

ABSTRACT

Provided is an armrest device that can be positioned in an appropriate position suitable for the build of the vehicle occupant. The armrest device (10) comprises an interior member (1) provided on an inboard side of a vehicle door, and an armrest main body (9) supported by the interior member so as to be moveable between an initial position and a projecting position more inboard and forward than the initial position.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to an armrest device provided on a door ofa vehicle.

BACKGROUND ART

It is known to provide an armrest on a door of a vehicle in a moveablemanner so that the position of the armrest may be adjusted according tothe position of the elbow of a vehicle occupant who may be of aparticular build. For example, in a certain conventional armrest device,an armrest is attached to a door so as to be movable in a lateraldirection of the vehicle (see Patent Document 1, for example). In otherconventional armrest devices, an armrest is mounted on a door so as tobe movable in a vertical direction with respect to the door (see PatentDocument 2, for example), an armrest is mounted on a door so as to bemovable in a fore and aft direction with respect to the door (see PatentDocument 3, for example), and a rear end part of an armrest is rotatablymounted on a door so as to be rotatable around a rotational center lineextending vertically with respect to the door (see Patent Document 4,for example).

PRIOR ART DOCUMENT(S) Patent Document(s)

Patent Document 1: JPH11-321419A

Patent Document 2: JP2004-196126A

Patent Document 3: JP2005-96528A

Patent Document 4: JP2001-270368A

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Task to be Accomplished by the Invention

However, the modes of movement of the conventional armrests mentionedabove do not take into account the fore and aft position of the occupantor, in particular, the fore and aft position of the torso of theoccupant. Therefore, the armrest may not be positioned in an optimumfashion for each particular vehicle occupant. A vehicle driver of asmall build tends to position his or her torso in a more front positionthan a driver of a large build in order to optimize the distances to thesteering wheel and the accelerator pedal. This is particularly the casewhen the seat is adjustable in the fore and aft direction. In such acase, the elbow of the driver of a small build is positioned in a moreforward position than that of a driver of a large build. Obviously, theelbow of the driver of a small build is positioned more inboard thanthat of a driver of a large build. Therefore, for a driver of a smallbuild, it is desirable to position the armrest in a relatively forwardand inward position.

In view of such a background, a primary object of the present inventionis to provide an armrest device that can be positioned in an appropriateposition according to the physique of the occupant.

Means to Accomplish the Task

To achieve such an object, the present invention provides an armrestdevice (10), comprising: an interior member (1) provided on an inboardside of a vehicle door; and an armrest main body (9) supported by theinterior member so as to be moveable between an initial position and aprojecting position more inboard and forward than the initial position.

According to this aspect, because the projecting position of the armrestmain body is more inboard and forward than the initial position, thearmrest main body can be positioned at an optimum position so as to suitthe build of the vehicle occupant.

Preferably, the armrest main body is configured to move between theinitial position and the projecting position as a translationalmovement.

According to this aspect, the armrest main body can be maintained at afixed attitude suitable for the vehicle occupant in both the initialposition and the projecting position.

Preferably, the armrest main body is configured to move linearly betweenthe initial position and the projecting position as a translationalmovement.

Thereby, the mode of movement of the armrest main body is simplified,and the support structure for the armrest main body can be simplified.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, theinterior member includes a main body portion (2) extending along theinboard side of the vehicle door and an armrest base portion (7)projecting in an inboard direction from the main body portion anddefining a resting surface (12) facing upward, and the armrest main bodyis provided with an upper wall portion (22) slidably positioned on theresting surface. The armrest base portion may be integrally formed withthe main body portion of the interior member, or, alternatively, mayconsist of a member separate from the main body portion of the interiormember and attached to the main body portion of the interior member.

Thereby, in the case of a side crash, the load on the vehicle occupantcan be minimized.

Preferably, the armrest base portion is provided with a base side wallportion (15) extending vertically on an inboard side thereof, and thearmrest main body is provided with a main body side wail portion (25)opposing the base side wail portion in a spaced apart relationship, atleast one of opposing surfaces of the base side wall portion and themain body side wail portion being provided with a load absorbing member(32) for absorbing an impact load.

Thereby, the impact of a side crash acting upon the vehicle occupant canbe reduced.

Preferably, the load absorbing member includes a rib (32A) projectingfrom at least one or the opposing surfaces of the base side wall portionand the main body side wall portion so as to be deformable under animpact load.

Thereby, the load absorbing member can be formed as a simple structure.By varying the stiffness of the rib, the load to be absorbed can beadjusted in a simple manner.

Preferably, the armrest main body is supported by the armrest baseportion via a slide mechanism (8).

Thereby, the armrest main body can be supported by the armrest baseportion so as to be able to undergo a translational movement by using asimple structure.

Preferably, the slide mechanism includes a rail (20A) attached to one ofthe armrest main body and the armrest base portion, and a slider (20B)attached to the other of the armrest main body and the armrest baseportion so as to be slidably supported by the rail.

Thereby, the slide mechanism can be formed by using a simple structure.

Preferably, the armrest base portion is provided with a base side wallportion extending vertically on an inboard side thereof, and the baseside wall portion is formed with a recess (18) recessed in an outboarddirection, a side surface (18A) of the recess facing in the inboarddirection extending in a direction of the translational movement of thearmrest main body and having the rail mounted thereon.

Thereby, without regard to the extending direction of the base side wallportion, the orientation of the rail can be freely determined by theside surface of the recess. Therefore, the surface area of the restingsurface can be maximized while the direction of the translationalmovement can be freely selected.

Preferably, the slide mechanism comprises a guide sleeve (62) connectedto one of the armrest main body and the armrest base portion, and a rod(63) connected to the other of the armrest main body and the armrestbase portion so as to be slidably supported by the guide sleeve.

Thereby, the slide mechanism can be formed by using a simple structure.

Preferably, the armrest base portion is provided with a base side wallportion extending vertically on an inboard side thereof, and a largepart of the guide sleeve is positioned on an outboard side of the baseside wall portion.

Thereby, without regard to the extending direction of the base side wallportion, the orientation of the rail can be freely determined.Therefore, the surface area of the resting surface can be maximizedwhile the direction of the translational movement can be freelyselected.

Preferably, a switch portion (5) is provided on the main body portion ofthe interior member so as to project in the inboard direction to supporta switch box, and the armrest base portion is positioned behind theswitch portion in a spaced apart relationship.

Thereby, the armrest main body is prevented from interfering with theswitch portion when the armrest main body moves to the projectingposition.

Preferably, a switch portion (5) is provided on the interior member soas to project in an inboard direction to support a switch box, and anextension projects from an inboard side of the switch portion in theinboard direction in such a manner that a front edge of an inboard sideof the armrest main body extends continuously with a projecting edge onan inboard side of the extension in a fore and aft direction when thearmrest main body is in the projecting position.

Because the armrest main body extends continuously from the rear edge ofthe extension in the projecting position, the resting surface jointlydefined by the armrest main body and the extension for supporting anelbow of a vehicle occupant can be maximized. Furthermore, the armrestmain body in the projecting position presents a unified appearancejointly with the interior member so that the external appearance isenhanced.

Preferably, a surface of the inboard side of the armrest main bodyfacing in the inboard direction is flush with a surface of theprojecting edge of the extension facing in the inboard direction.

Thereby, the armrest main body in the projecting position presents aunified appearance jointly with the interior member so that the externalappearance can be enhanced.

Preferably, an upper part of the extension is formed with a pockethaving an upwardly facing opening.

Thereby, the extension can be used as a pocket.

Preferably, a part of the interior member opposing the armrest main bodyis provided with a light source.

Thereby, the light emitted from the light source is reflected by theinterior member and the armrest main body, and leaks out from a gapbetween the interior member and an opposing edge of the armrest mainbody so that an edge part of the armrest main body can be favorablyilluminated. This illuminating light leaking into the passengercompartment changes depending on the position of the armrest main bodyrelative to the interior member owing to the change in the size of thegap between the interior member and the armrest main body. Therefore,the vehicle occupant can determined the position of the armrest mainbody from the intensity of illumination on the edge part of the armrestmain body.

Preferably, the light source is provided in a position of the interiormember that opposes an edge part of the armrest main body in the initialposition.

Thereby, the light from the light source passing through the gap betweenthe interior member and the edge part of the armrest main body can beleaked to the passenger compartment in an efficient manner.

Effect of the Invention

Thus, the present invention provides an armrest device that can bepositioned in an appropriate position suitable for the build of thevehicle occupant.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a vehicle door according to a firstembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the armrest device according to thefirst embodiment;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an armrest base portion according to thefirst embodiment;

FIG. 4a is a horizontal sectional view of the armrest device accordingof the first embodiment in an initial position;

FIG. 4b is a horizontal sectional view of the armrest device accordingof the first embodiment in a projecting position;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along line V-V of FIG. 4 a;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along line VI-VI of FIG. 4 a;

FIG. 7 is a horizontal sectional view of an armrest device according toa second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a horizontal sectional view of an armrest device according ofa third embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a sectional view taken along line IX-IX of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a horizontal sectional view of an armrest device given as amodification of the third embodiment;

FIG. 11 is a vertical sectional view of an armrest device according to afourth embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 12 is a vertical sectional view of an armrest device given as amodification of the fourth embodiment;

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a door given as a modification of thefirst embodiment;

FIG. 14 is a perspective view of a door according to a fifth embodimentof the present invention;

FIG. 15a is a plan view of the armrest device according of the fifthembodiment in the initial position;

FIG. 15b is a plan view of the armrest device according of the firstembodiment in the projecting position;

FIG. 16 is a horizontal sectional view of an armrest device according ofa sixth embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 17 is a perspective view of a right rear door given as amodification of the first embodiment.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT(S)

In the following are described various embodiments of the armrest deviceof the present invention as applied to an interior member of a vehicledoor with reference to the appended drawings.

First Embodiment

As shown in FIG. 1, a door adjacent to the right front seat or thedriver's seat is provided with an interior member 1 which covers aninboard side (left side) of a lower part of a door panel made of sheetsteel. The interior member 1 is generally formed by a plate member, andincludes a main body portion 2 having a major plane facing in thelateral direction when the door is closed, and a peripheral part 3surrounding the main body portion 2. The inboard side of the main bodyportion 2 of the interior member 1 is referred to a surface 2A. Theperipheral part 3 is offset in the outboard direction relative to themain body portion 2, and abuts the door panel.

An upper part of the main body portion 2 is formed with an upper opening2B passed through the main body portion 2 in the thickness-wisedirection. A door handle attached to the door panel is positioned in theupper opening 28. A grip portion 2C is formed in a part of the main bodyportion 2 located below the upper opening 28. The grip portion 2Cconsists of a recess formed in the main body portion 2 recessed in boththe outboard direction and the downward direction. By engaging the gripportion 2C with fingers, the vehicle occupant is enabled to open andclose the door.

A vertically intermediate part of the main body portion 2 is formed witha switch portion 5, a connecting portion 6 and an armrest base portion 7in that order from the front to the rear. The switch portion 5, theconnecting portion 6 and the armrest base portion 7 are formed asprotrusions bulging in the inboard direction, and internally define aspace opening out in the outboard direction. The switch portion 5, theconnecting portion 6 and the armrest base portion 7 all extend in thefore and aft direction, and are connected to one another in theaforementioned order. The switch portion 5, the connecting portion 6 andthe armrest base portion 7 jointly form an armrest device 10.

The switch portion 5 is formed in the shape of a box extending in thefore and aft direction. The switch portion 5 receives a switch box (notshown in the drawings) incorporated with switches for power windows anda door lock device. Switch keys provided in the switch box are exposedupward from respective switch openings 5B formed in an upper wallportion 5A of the switch portion 5.

As shown in FIGS. 3 to 6, the armrest base portion 7 includes a baseupper wall portion 12 and a base lower wall portion 13 both extendinghorizontally in the inboard direction from the main body portion 2,abase front wall portion 14 extending from the main body portion 2 andconnecting the front edges of the base upper wall portion 12 and thebase lower wall portion 13 to each other, and abase side wall portion 15connecting the projecting edges of the base upper wall portion 12, thebase lower wall portion 13 and the base front wall portion 14 to oneanother. The width of the base upper wall portion 12 and the base lowerwall portion 13 progressively diminishes in the rearward direction inplan view. In other words, the projecting length of the base upper wallportion 12 and the base lower wall portion 13 is smaller in the rearpart thereof than in the front part thereof. The front edges of the baseupper wall portion 12 and the base lower wail portion 13 and the basefront wall portion 14 incline forward as one moves in the inboarddirection. The front edge of the base lower wall portion 13 is offset tothe rear relative to the front edge of the base upper wall portion 12 sothat the base front wall portion 14 inclines rearward as ono movesdownward. The base side wail portion 15 inclines in the outboarddirection as one moves rearward, and is directly connected to the mainbody portion 2 at the rear edge thereof.

The base side wall portion 15 includes a first section 15A, a secondsection 15B, a third section 15C and a fourth section 15D from the frontto the rear in that order. The first section 15A and the third section15C form a substantially same inclination angle relative to the fore andaft direction, and the second section 15B forms a large inclinationangle relative to the fore and aft direction than the first section 15Aand the third section 15C. Therefore, the third section 15C, is offsetrelative to the first section 15A in the outboard direction. The fourthsection 15D forms a larger inclination angle relative to the fore andaft direction than the third section 15C.

The vertically central part of the base side wall portion 15 rangingfrom the second section 15B to the third section 15C is formed with areceiving hole 18. In the illustrated embodiment, the receiving hole 18is formed as a recess recessed in the outboard direction. The front holewall 18A or the front side wall of the receiving hole 18 consists of aplanar wall inclining in a forward direction as one moves in the inboarddirection. The inclination angle of the front hole wall 18A relative tothe fore and aft direction is greater than the inclination angle of thethird section 15C relative to the fore and aft direction

The armrest base portion 7 may be integrally formed with the main bodyportion 2 of the interior member 1, or, alternatively, may consist of aseparate member from the main body portion 2 of the interior member 1and connected to the main body portion 2 of the interior member l Thearmrest base portion 7 and the main body portion 2 may be made ofplastic material, for instance.

A slide mechanism 8 is attached to the front hole wall 18A. In theillustrated embodiment, the slide mechanism 8 consists of a pair ofslide rail devices 20. As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, each slide rail device20 includes a linearly extending rail 20A and a slider 20B supported bythe rail 20A so as to be slidable in the lengthwise direction of therail 20A. Preferably, the slider 20B has a certain length in theextending direction of the rail 20A. The slider 20B may consist of arail member slidably engaging the rail 20A. The rails 20A are attachedto the front hole wall 18A so as to extend in the horizontal directionin a mutually vertically spaced apart relationship. Therefore, thesliders 208 linearly slide along the rails 20A horizontally so as tomove inwardly as the sliders 20B progress forward.

As shown in FIGS. 3 to 6, the armrest main body 9 includes a main bodyupper wall portion 22 and a main body lower wall portion 23 consistingof plate members elongated in the fore and aft direction, a main bodyfront wall portion 24 connecting the front edges of the main body upperwall portion 22 and the main body lower wall portion 23 to each other, amain body side wall portion 25 connecting the inboard edges of the mainbody upper wall portion 22 and the main body lower wall portion 23 toeach other, and a main body rear wall portion 26 connecting the rearedges of the main body upper wall portion 22 and the main body lowerwall portion 23 to each other. Therefore, the armrest main body 9 isformed as a box having an open end facing in the outboard direction. Aconnecting portion 27 projects from the outboard surface of the mainbody side wall portion 25. The connecting portion 27 is provided with apair of leg piece portions 27A projecting from the main body side wallportion 25 in the outboard direction in a mutually vertically spacedapart relationship, and a plate portion 278 extending between the freeends of the leg piece portions 27. The sliders 208 of the slidemechanism 8 are attached to the plate portion 27B. The plate portion 278extends substantially in parallel with the front hole wall 18A. Thearmrest main body 9 is supported by the armrest base portion 7 via theslide mechanism 8 so as to be able to undergo a translational movementalong the extending direction of the rails 20A relative to the armrestbase portion 7.

The position of the armrest main body when the sliders 20B are at therear ends of the respective rails 20A and the armrest main body 9 is atthe furthest outboard position is referred to as an initial position.See the broken lines in FIG. 2, and FIG. 4a . The position of thearmrest main body when the sliders 20B are at the front ends of therespective rails 20A and the armrest main body 9 is at the furthestinboard position is referred to as a projecting position. See the solidlines in FIG. 2, and FIG. 4b . The projecting position oldie armrestmain body 9 is snore inboard and forward than the initial positionthereof. The armrest main body 9 is thus configured to undergo atranslational movement from the initial position to the projectingposition both horizontally and linearly. See white arrows in FIG. 2 andFIG. 4 b.

The main body upper wall portion 22 is dimensioned so as to cover theentire area of the base upper wall portion 12 when the armrest main body9 is in the initial position. In particular, the lateral width of therear portion of the main body upper wall portion 22. (with respect tothe vehicle body) is larger than the lateral width of the rear portionof the base upper wall portion 12. The inclination angle of the mainbody side wall portion 25 with respect to the fore and aft direction issmaller than the inclination angle of the base side wall portion 15 withrespect to the fore and an direction. In the initial position of thearmrest main body 9, the lateral distance between the main body sidewall portion 25 and the base side wall portion 15 progressivelyincreases toward the rear. In other words, an internal space 30 isdefined between the rear portion of the main body side wall portion 25and the rear portion of the base side wall portion 15.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, a rear part of the main body side wailportion 25 facing the internal space 30 is provided with a loadabsorbing member 32 that absorbs an impact load. In the presentembodiment, the load absorbing member 32 comprises a plurality of ribs32A protecting from the main body side wall portion 25. Each rib 32Aextends vertically, and has an upper end attached to the lower surfaceof the main body upper wall portion 22 and a lower end attached to theupper surface of the main body lower wail portion 23. The ribs 32Aenhance the stiffness of the armrest main body 9, and prevent unduedeformation under the load of an elbow of a vehicle occupant. Whensubjected to an impact load caused by a side crash, the ribs 32A arecompressed and deformed between the base side wall portion 15 and themain body side wall portion 25 so that the impact load is absorbed, andthe load acting on the vehicle occupant is reduced. The rib 32A may bedamaged or destroyed under the impact load.

The main body upper wail portion 22 is slidably placed on the uppersurface of the base upper wall portion 12. Therefore, a load appliedfrom above to the main body upper wall portion 22 is directlytransmitted from the main body upper wail portion 22 to the base upperwall portion 12 so that the deformation of the armrest main body 9 isminimized. The upper surface of the base upper wall portion 12 forms aresting surface for supporting the main body upper wall portion 22.

As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the projecting length of the connectingportion 6 from the main body portion 2 of the interior member in theinboard direction is smaller than those of the switch portion 5 and thearmrest base portion 7. The connecting portion 6 connects an outboardside of a rear part of the switch portion 5 to the outboard side of thebase front wall portion 14. The upper surface of the switch portion 5 ishigher than the upper surface of the base upper wall portion 12. and theupper surface of the connecting portion 6 is lower than the uppersurface of the base upper wall portion 12. The upper surface of the mainbody upper wall portion 22 placed on the base upper wall portion 12 isat an approximately same height as the upper surface of the switchportion 5.

When the armrest main body 9 is in the initial position, the main bodyfront wall portion 24 of the armrest main body 9 extends downward froman inboard part of the front edge of the main body upper wall portion 22so as not to interfere with the connecting portion 6. Further, when thearmrest main body 9 is the initial position, the main body front wallportion 24 of the armrest main body 9 is arranged so as to extend alongthe base front wall portion 14.

As shown in FIG. 4a , when the armrest main body 9 is in the initialposition, the connecting portion 27 of the armrest main body 9 isdisposed in the receiving hole 18 of the armrest base portion 7 so thatthe interference between the connecting portion 27 and the armrest baseportion 7 is avoided. As shown in FIG. 4b , when the armrest main body 9moves to the projecting position, the connecting portion 27 moves out ofthe receiving hole 18.

When the armrest main body 9 moves from the initial position to theprojecting position, the main body rear wail portion 26 and the loadabsorbing member 32 of the armrest main body 9 move to a more outboardposition than the base side wall portion 15 so that the interferencebetween the main body rear wall portion 26 and the base side wailportion 15 is avoided.

As shown in FIG. 2, the armrest main body 9 is disposed so that the mainbody front wall portion 24 abuts on a rear part of the switch portion 5in the projecting position. As a result, the upper surface of the mainbody upper wall portion 22 extends continuously with the upper surfaceof the switch portion 5. Further, the outboard edge portion of the mainbody upper wall portion 22 is positioned above the connecting portion 6,and a gap created between the switch portion 5 and the armrest baseportion 7 is filled by the armrest main body 9.

The mode of operation of the armrest device 10 described above is nowdiscussed in the following. The armrest device 10 allows a vehicleoccupant to position the armrest main body 9 at a desired positionbetween the initial position and the projecting position so as to suitthe build of the vehicle occupant, and to place his or her elbow on themain body upper well portion 22. Since the armrest main body 9 movesforward as it moves in the inboard direction, it is possible to providea comfortable elbow position to the vehicle occupant. Typically, thesmaller the build of the vehicle occupant is, the further forward theseating position of the vehicle occupant is moved so that the distanceto the steering wheel and the accelerator pedal may be made appropriateparticularly when the fore and aft position of the seat can be adjusted.Also, the smaller the build of the vehicle occupant is, the further awaythe elbow of the vehicle occupant is positioned. Therefore, it ispreferable that the position of the armrest main body 9 moves inboardand forward as the occupant's build decreases. in the armrest device 10according to the present embodiment, since the armrest main body 9 movesfrom the initial position to the projecting position inwardly andforwardly with respect to the vehicle body, the armrest main body 9 canbe positioned at an appropriate position that suits the build of thevehicle occupant. Further, since the armrest main body 9 linearly movesin a translational manner between the initial position and theprojecting position, the armrest main body 9 takes the same posture atthe initial position and at the projecting position, and, in fact, takesan appropriate posture with respect to the occupant at any position.Further, since the armrest main body 9 moves linearly, the configurationof the slide mechanism 8 can be simplified.

Because the main body upper wall portion 22 is slidably placed on theupper surface of the base upper wall portion 12, the load applied by theelbow of the vehicle occupant onto the main body upper wall portion 22is transmitted directly to the base upper wall portion 12 so that unduedeformation of the armrest main body 9 can be avoided

Because the rear side of the armrest main body 9 is formed with the ribs32A serving as the load absorbing member 32, the impact load of a sidecrash can be mitigated by the deformation of the ribs 32A locatedbetween the vehicle occupant and the door so that the impact load on thevehicle occupant can be minimized. The load absorbing capacity of theload absorbing member 32 can be selected by suitably adjusting thethickness, the number and the configuration of the ribs 32A. When theload absorbing member 32 comprises the ribs 32A, the load absorbingmember 32 increases the stiffness of the armrest main body 9 so that thearmrest main body 9 is prevented from being unduly deformed under theload applied by the elbow of the vehicle occupant.

Because the rails 20A are mounted on the front hole wall 18A which isslanted relative to the base side wall portion 15, the extendingdirection of the rails 20A or, in other words, the direction of thetranslational movement of the armrest main body 9 can be determinedwithout regard to the inclination angle of the base side wall portion 15relative to the fore and aft direction. As a result, the overlappingbetween the armrest main body 9 and the armrest base portion 7 in planview can be maximized while the direction of the translational movementof the armrest main body 9 can be optimally selected.

Because the front hole wall 18A is formed as a part of the wall definingthe support hole which formed as a recess having a bottom wall, therails 20A can be mounted on the front hole wall 18A in a highly secureand stable manner.

Second Embodiment

An armrest device 50 according to a second embodiment of the presentinvention is modified from the armrest device 10 of the first embodimentin regard to a certain part thereof. In the following description, theparts corresponding to those of the previous embodiment are denoted withlike numerals without necessarily repeating the description of suchparts.

As shown in FIG. 7, in the armrest device 50, the base upper wallportion 12 and the base lower wall portion 13 are provided with asubstantially same width (lateral dimension), and the base side wallportion 15 extends in the fore and aft direction substantially inparallel with the main body side wall portion 25. Therefore, theinternal space 30 of the armrest device 50 is smaller than that of thearmrest device 10. By thus arranging the base side wall port on 15 andthe main body side wall portion 25 in a substantially parallelrelationship, the overlapping area of the base upper wall portion 12 andthe main body upper wall portion 22 in plan view is maximized. As aresult, the load applied by the elbow of the vehicle occupant onto themain body upper wall portion 22 can be efficiently transmitted to thebase upper wall portion 12 so that the deformation of the armrest mainbody 9 can be minimized.

Preferably, the load absorbing member 32 which may consist of aplurality of ribs 32A is provided on the outboard side of the base sidewall portion 15. Each rib 32A may extend in the vertical direction, andhave an upper edge connected to the lower surface of the base upper wallportion 12 and a lower end connected to the upper surface of the baselower wall portion 13. The ribs 32A increase the stiffness of thearmrest base portion 7, and minimize the deformation of the armrest baseportion 7 under the load front the elbow of the vehicle occupant. Theribs 32A are also configured to be compressed between the door panel andthe base side wall portion 15 when an impact load owing to a side crashis applied to the door, and reduce the impact load applied to thevehicle occupant by absorbing the impact load.

The base rear wall portion 16 is positioned between the rear edge of thebase side wall portion 15 and the main body portion 2. The main bodyrear wall portion 26 may be provided with an opening 52 to avoidinterfering with the base rear wall portion 16 and the rear edge of thebase side wall portion 15 when the main body rear wall portion 26 movesfrom the initial position to the projecting position. The opening 52 isoptional, and should be minimized as much as possible without causing aninterference between the main body rear wail portion 26 and the baserear wall portion 16 during the movement of the main body rear wallportion 26.

Third Embodiment

An armrest device 60 according to a third embodiment of the presentinvention differs from the armrest device 10 of the first embodiment inregard to the structure of the slide mechanism 8.

As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the slide mechanism 8 is provided with a pairof tubular guide sleeves 62 and a pair of rods 63 moveably supported bythe respective guide sleeves 62. The rods 63 are formed in a linearshape, and configured to slide linearly along the axial direction of therespective guide sleeves 62. The guide sleeves 62 may be formed of, forexample, a plastic material, and the rods 63 may be formed of a metalrod. The rods 63 can be held at any projecting position with respect tothe guide sleeves 62 by a frictional force.

The guide sleeves 62 and the rods 63 are combined in pairs, with onepair positioned in an upper part and another pair positioned in a lowerpart. The guide sleeves 62 are secured to the front hole wall 18A, andthe rods 63 are secured to the plate portion 27B. Each guide sleeve 62is attached to the front hole wall 18A on the outer surface thereof soas to extend in the horizontal direction. The axial line of each guidesleeve 62 extends in parallel with the front hole wall 18A. The free endof each rod 63 is connected to an anchor 64 projecting from the outboardside of the main body side wall portion 25.

In the modification of the third embodiment shown in FIG. 10, each guidesleeve 62 is retained in a support hole 65 consisting of a through boleformed in the base side wall portion 15. A large part of each guidesleeve 62 is positioned on the outboard side of the base side wallportion 15. The extending direction of the guide sleeves 62 isdetermined by the orientation of the support holes 65. In this modifiedembodiment, the guide sleeves 62, or in other words, the direction ofthe translational movement of the armrest main body 9 can be tiltedrelative to the extending direction of the base side wall portion 15without forming a receiving hole 18.

Fourth Embodiment

An armrest device 70 according to a fourth embodiment differs from thearmrest device 10 of the first embodiment in the configuration of theslide mechanism 8. As shown in FIG. 11, in the armrest device 70, theslide mechanism 8 is provided with a pair of guide slots 72 formed inthe front hole wall 18A and corresponding engagement portions 73provided on the plate portion 27E of the connecting portion 27 to beengaged by the respective guide slots 72. The guide slots 72 are passedthrough the front hole wail 18A in the thickness-wise direction, andextend in the fore and aft direction linearly in a substantiallyhorizontal direction. The two guide slots 72 are spaced apart from eachother in the vertical direction. Each engagement portion 73 includes acylindrical boss 73A protruding from the plate portion 27B and passedthrough the corresponding guide slot 72, a shaft portion inserted intoand coupled to the inner hole of the boss 73A, and a retaining member73B including a flange projecting radially outward from the free end ofthe shaft portion. The retaining member 73B is dimensioned so as not topass through the guide slot 72, by being engaged by the edge part of theguide slot 72. The retaining member 73B may be, for example, a tappingscrew, a plastic fastener (clip) or the like. As the bosses 73A move inthe extending direction of the guide slots 72, the armrest main body 9moves between the initial position and the projecting position.

As a modification of the armrest device 70 of the fourth embodiment, theengagement portions 73 may be configured as shown in FIG. 12. Theengagement portions 73 each include a base portion 73D connected to theplate portion 27B, a pillar portion 73E protruding front the baseportion 73D and passed through the guide slot 72, and an enlarged headportion 73F provided at the free end of the pillar portion 73E. The baseportion 73D may include, for example, resilient claws configured toresiliently engage a through hole formed in the plate portion 27B. Theenlarged head portion 73F is dimensioned so as not to pass through theguide slot 72, and is configured to be engaged by the edge part of theguide slot 72. As the pillar portion 73E moves in the extendingdirection of the guide slot 72, the armrest main body 9 moves betweenthe initial position and the protruding position.

Fifth Embodiment

An armrest device 100 according to a fifth embodiment differs from thearmrest device 10 of the first embodiment in regards to the shapes ofthe switch portion 5, the connecting portion 6 of the interior member 1and the armrest main body 9, but is otherwise similar to the armrestdevice 10 of the first embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 14, a switch portion 101, a connecting portion 102, andan armrest base portion 7 protrude from a vertically intermediate partof the main body portion 2, in that order from the front to the rear,similarly as in the first embodiment. The connecting portion 102 and thearmrest base portion 7 project in the inboard direction from the mainbody portion 2 of the interior member 1 by a substantially same length.The switch portion 101 is provided with an extension 104 that protrudesin the inboard direction more than the connecting portion 102 and thearmrest base portion 7. The extension 104 may extend to the inboard sideof the connecting portion 102.

The protruding end of the extension 104 is provided with a protrudingend face 104A facing the inboard direction, and an inclined surface 104Bextends from the rear edge of the protruding end face 104A with anoutboard slant. The rear end of the inclined surface 104B is connectedto the connecting portion 102.

A first pocket 106 recessed downward is formed in an upper part of theextension 104. A second pocket 107 recessed downward is formed in anupper part of the connecting portion 102. The first pocket 106 and thesecond pocket 107 can be used as parts for storing small objects and asa grip to be gripped by a vehicle occupant when opening and closing thedoor.

An armrest main body 110 differs from the armrest main body 9 of thefirst embodiment in that the main body front wail portion 24 is omitted,but is otherwise similar to the armrest main body 9 of the firstembodiment. The armrest main body 110 is supported by the armrest baseportion 7 via a slide mechanism 8 similar to that of the firstembodiment. It should be noted that the slide mechanism 8 may also bebased on the configurations of the second to fourth embodiments.

As shown in FIGS. 14 and 15 a, when the armrest main body 110 is in theinitial position, the inboard surface of the main body side wall portion25 is located on the outboard side of the projecting end surface 104A ofthe extension 104. Further, the front edge of the main body side wallportion 25 is arranged close to the inclined surface 104E of theextension 104. In this conjunction, the front edge of the main body sidewall portion 25 may contact the inclined surface 104B of the extension104 or may oppose the inclined surface 104B with a minute gap.

When the armrest main body 110 moves in an inboard and forward directionfrom the initial position to the projecting position, the front edge ofthe main body side wail portion 25 moves in an inboard and forwarddirection along the inclined surface 104B of the extension 104. At thistime, the front edge of the main body side wall portion 25 may slide onthe inclined surface 104B of the extension 104 or may move with a minutegap defined between the main body side wall portion 25 and the inclinedsurface 104B.

As shown in FIG. 15b when the armrest main body 110 is in the projectingposition, the front edge of the main body side wall portion 25 isarranged immediately behind the rear edge of the protruding end face1504A of the extension 104 in a continuous manner. In other words, atthis time, the side of the main body side wall portion 25 facing in theinboard direction, and the protruding end face 104A of the extension 104are on a same plane. In this conjunction, the front edge of the mainbody side wall portion 25 may contact the boundary between theprotruding end face 104A and the inclined surface 104B of the extension104 or may oppose the boundary with a small gap defined between the mainbody side wall portion 25 and the boundary.

In the armrest device 100 according to the fifth embodiment, the armrestmain body 110 in the projecting position is arranged immediately behindthe extension 104 so that the armrest main body 110 and the extension104 cooperate with each other so as to expand the resting surface forplacing the elbow. The armrest main body 110 in the projecting positionprovides a unified appearance in relation with the interior member 1 sothat the external appearance of the armrest device can be improved.

Sixth Embodiment

The armrest device 120 according to the sixth embodiment differs fromthe armrest device 10 of the first embodiment in that the shape of theconnecting portion 6 of the interior member 1 and the shape of thearmrest main body 9 are different as compared to those of the firstembodiment, in that a light source is newly added, and in that the slidemechanism 8 is different. The sixth embodiment is otherwise similar tothe first embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 16, the connecting portion 121, the switch portion 5,and the armrest base portion 7 are formed so as to project in theinboard direction by a substantially same distance from the main bodyportion 2 of the interior member 1. An armrest main body 122 differsfrom the armrest main body 9 of the first embodiment in that the mainbody front wall portion 24 is omitted, but is otherwise similar to thatof the first embodiment. The slide mechanism 8 is similar in structureto that of the third embodiment, and is composed of a guide sleeve 62, arod 63, and an anchor 64. The guide sleeve 62 is supported on by a partof the rear side wall located behind the receiving hole 18. The slidemechanism 8 may have a structure similar to any one of the first, secondand fourth embodiment.

A light source 125 is provided on a part of the armrest base portion 7facing the armrest main body 122. The light source 125 may be an LED ora light bulb. The light source 125 may be provided on apart of at leastone of the base upper wall portion 12, the base lower wall portion 13,and the base side wail portion 15 that faces one of the main body upperwall portion 22, the main body lower wall portion 23, the main body sidewall portion 25 and the main body rear wail portion 26 of the armrestmain body 122, in the initial position. In the illustrated embodiment,the light source 125 is mounted on a mounting hole 126 provided in apart of the base side wall portion 15 opposing the front edge of themain body side wall portion 25.

In the armrest device 120 according to the sixth embodiment, the lightfrom the light source 125 is reflected by the outboard surface of thearmrest base portion 7 and the inboard surface of the armrest main body122, and leaks into the passenger compartment via a gap defined betweenthe outboard surface of the armrest base portion 7 and the edge part ofthe armrest main body 122. In other words, the armrest base portion 7,the armrest main body 122 and the light source 125 cooperate with eachother so as to form an illumination unit 127 for illuminating the edgepart of the armrest main body 122. Since the size of the gap between thearmrest base portion 7 and the edge part of the armrest main body 122varies depending on the position of the armrest main body 122 withrespect to the armrest base portion 7, the amount of light leaking tothe passenger compartment side of this illumination unit 127 changes.Therefore, the occupant can recognize the position of the armrest mainbody 122 from the brightness or the edge part of the armrest main body122. In addition, since the light from the light source 125 is reflectedby the outboard surface of the armrest base portion 7 and the inboardsurface of the armrest main body 122, the illumination unit 127 servesas an indirect lighting unit.

Since the light source 125 is provided in a part of the base side wallportion 15 corresponding to the front edge of the main body side wallportion 25 of the armrest main body 122 in the initial position, thelight emitted from the light source 125 is favorably directed to thepassenger compartment via the gap between the base side wall portion 15and the front edge of the main body side wall portion 25 in an efficientmanner. By adjusting the size of the gap between the edge part of thearmrest main body 122 and the armrest base portion 7 in the initialposition, the amount of light conducted to the passenger compartment canbe adjusted when the armrest main body 122 is in the initial position.

As a modification of the armrest device 120 of the sixth embodiment, inorder to illuminate the armrest main body 122 from outside, a lightsource for emitting light to a surrounding part of the armrest baseportion 7 of the main body portion 2 may be provided, for instance, inan upper position of the armrest main body 122.

Although the present invention has been described in terms of preferredembodiments thereof, it is obvious to a person skilled in the art thatvarious alterations and modifications are possible without departingfrom the spirit of the present invention. The foregoing embodiments weredirected to armrest devices for a vehicle door on the driver's side, butthe present invention is applicable to other seats such as assistant'sseats and rear seats. FIG. 17 shows a case where the armrest device 10is applied to the interior member 130 of the door next to a rear rightseat. The interior member 130 differs from the interior member 1 of thefirst embodiment in the configuration of the main body portion 2 and theshape and the number of the switch openings 5B formed in the switchportion 5. In this manner, the armrest device can be applied to thedoors adjoining any of the seats in the vehicle.

In addition to the slide mechanisms 8 of the various structuresmentioned above, other per se known slide devices such as an aircylinder can be applied to the armrest device of the present invention.The ribs 3212 were used as an example of the load absorbing member 32 inthe forgoing embodiments, but resilient members such as rubber andurethane may also be used for the load absorbing member 32.

As shown FIG. 13, a grip belt 80 may be provided on the inboard side ofthe grip portion 2C. The grip belt 80 is provided with a flexibility andextends in the fore and aft direction. The two ends of the grip belt 80are attached to the surface 2A of the main body portion 2. In theillustrated embodiment, the grip belt 80 extends in the fore and aftdirection along the inboard side of the grip portion 2C. The vehicleoccupant can close and open the door by grabbing the grip portion 2C orthe grip belt 80. When the grip belt 80 is provided, the grip portion 2Cmay be omitted. Instead of the flexible grip belt 80, a stiff rod membermay extend in the fore and aft direction.

In the foregoing embodiments, the armrest main body 9 was configured toundergo a linear translation movement between the initial position andthe projecting position, but the present invention is not limited tosuch a mode of movement. For instance, the armrest main body may undergoa translation movement along a curved path such an arcuate path.

GLOSSARY OF TERMS

1, 130: interior member

2: main body portion

5: switch portion

7: armrest base portion

8: slide mechanism

9, 50, 60, 70, 100, 120: armrest main body

10: armrest device

12: base upper wall portion

15: base side wall portion

18: receiving hole (recess)

18A: front hole wall

20: slide rail device

20A: rail

20B: slider

22: main body upper wall portion

25: main body side wall portion

27: connecting portion

30: internal space

32: load absorbing member

32A: rib

62: guide sleeve

63: rod

72: guide slot

73: engagement portion

104: extension

125: light source

1. An armrest device, comprising: an interior member provided on aninboard side of a vehicle door; and an armrest main body supported bythe interior member so as to be moveable between an initial position anda projecting position more inboard and forward than the initialposition.
 2. The armrest device according to claim 1, wherein thearmrest main body is configured to move between the initial position andthe projecting position as a translational movement.
 3. The armrestdevice according to claim 2, wherein the armrest main body is configuredto move linearly between the initial position and the projectingposition as a translational movement.
 4. The armrest device according toclaim 1, wherein the interior member includes a main body portionextending along the inboard side of the vehicle door and an armrest baseportion projecting in an inboard direction from the main body portionand defining a resting surface facing upward, and the armrest main bodyis provided with an upper wall portion slidably positioned on theresting surface.
 5. The armrest device according to claim 4, wherein thearmrest base portion is provided with a base side wall portion extendingvertically on an inboard side thereof, and the armrest main body isprovided with a main body side wall portion opposing the base side wallportion in a spaced apart relationship, at least one of opposingsurfaces of the base side wall portion and the main body side wallportion being provided with a load absorbing member for absorbing animpact load.
 6. The armrest device according to claim 5, wherein theload absorbing member includes a rib projecting from at least one of theopposing surfaces of the base side wall portion and the main body sidewall portion so as to be deformable under an impact load.
 7. The armrestdevice according to claim 4, wherein the armrest main body is supportedby the armrest base portion via a slide mechanism.
 8. The armrest deviceaccording to claim 7, wherein the slide mechanism includes a railattached to one of the armrest main body and the armrest base portion,and a slider attached to the other of the armrest main body and thearmrest base portion so as to be slidably supported by the rail.
 9. Thearmrest device according to claim 8, wherein the armrest base portion isprovided with a base side wall portion extending vertically on aninboard side thereof, and the base side wall portion is formed with arecess recessed in an outboard direction, a side surface of the recessfacing in the inboard direction extending in a direction of thetranslational movement of the armrest main body and having the railmounted thereon.
 10. The armrest device according to claim 7, whereinthe slide mechanism comprises a guide sleeve connected to one of thearmrest main body and the armrest base portion, and a rod connected tothe other of the armrest main body and the armrest base portion so as tobe slidably supported by the guide sleeve.
 11. The armrest deviceaccording to claim 10, wherein the armrest base portion is provided witha base side wall portion extending vertically on an inboard sidethereof, and a large part of the guide sleeve is positioned on anoutboard side of the base side wall portion.
 12. The armrest deviceaccording to claim 4, wherein a switch portion is provided on the mainbody portion of the interior member so as to project in the inboarddirection to support a switch box, and the armrest base portion ispositioned behind the switch portion in a spaced apart relationship. 13.The armrest device according to claim 1, wherein a switch portion isprovided on the interior member so as to project in an inboard directionto support a switch box, and an extension projects from an inboard sideof the switch portion in the inboard direction in such a manner that afront edge of an inboard side of the armrest main body extendscontinuously with a projecting edge on an inboard side of the extensionin a fore and aft direction when the armrest main body is in theprojecting position.
 14. The armrest device according to claim 13,wherein a surface of the inboard side of the armrest main body facing inthe inboard direction is flush with a surface of the projecting edge ofthe extension facing in the inboard direction.
 15. The armrest deviceaccording to claim 13, wherein an upper part of the extension is formedwith a pocket having an upwardly facing opening.
 16. The armrest deviceaccording to claim 1, wherein a part of the interior member opposing thearmrest main body is provided with a light source.
 17. The armrestdevice according to claim 16, wherein the light source is provided in aposition of the interior member that opposes an edge part of the armrestmain body in the initial position.